Scores Unaccounted For Following Boat Carrying 200 Asylum Seekers Capsizes in waters off Gambia.
No fewer than seven souls lost their lives and numerous others are missing in the wake of a craft carrying approximately two hundred people seeking to enter European shores capsized off the coast of the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday near Jinack in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for other passengers who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa trying to reach European nations.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Spanish archipelago in last year and figures suggest more than 9,000 people have lost their lives in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that offered help, the military confirmed.
Reports indicate several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven victims who perished at sea have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is a frequent corridor used by migrants seeking to get to European countries, typically through perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the European bloc has forged deals with several Maghreb states with the goal of reducing undocumented migration.
